1. Make a list
Before you start, take a 10-minute coffee break to note the chores that need doing. "We write lists before we go grocery shopping; we should write down the tasks we need to tackle at home, too. Having a game plan is key and will help get you to the finish line with ease," says MacPherson. Keep the list as a guide for next time.

2. Do one task at a time
"We used to be taught to do one room at a time, but now, in large part due to the popularity of Marie Kondo, a Japanese cleaning consultant and bestselling author, the switch to cleaning and organizing by category is proving to be more efficient," says MacPherson. So pick one chore (such as vacuuming), then do all the necessary rooms in one session instead of lugging equipment around several times a week.

3. Deep-clean twice a year
This will save you a lot of work during your regular weekly sessions. For example, says MacPherson, "if you deep-clean the grease from your range in spring, you won't have to worry about it later collecting dust and turning into a bigger project down the road."

4. Break it up
To spare yourself the drudgery of a single jam-packed cleaning day on the weekend, check a few chores off your to-do list each weekday. Bingo: More time to enjoy with family and friends when it counts the most!

Upholstery
Vacuum furniture regularly, using the upholstery attachment. Clear pet hair with a rubber squeegee or collect it with rubber gloves. Spot-clean stains immediately with a store-bought product such as Spot Shot. For more delicate fabrics, such as silk, follow the manufacturer's instructions. For nonsilk upholstery, test an inconspicuous spot with some mild clothing detergent such as Woolite or OxiClean on a damp cloth.

Countertops
For granite or natural stone, use a pH-neutral stone cleaner or a small amount of mild dish soap. For laminate, stick to vinegar and water. Use a stainless-steel cleaner on stainless-steel surfaces. For stained marble or stone with pitting, contact a stone specialist. Clean butcher blocks with water and vinegar after each use.

Electronics
Remove germs and grime from remote controls with disinfectant cleaning wipes (such as Lysol), but wring them out first to remove excess liquid that can cause damage. Use a microfibre cloth dampened slightly with water for screens on tablets and laptop computers; window cleaners can damage screens and leave streaks.

Shower/bath
Clean grout lines with a scrub brush (or a toothbrush with strong bristles) with soap and water frequently. Recaulk edges and corners every one to two years, depending on wear and tear. To remove surface water deposits on your showerhead, wipe with a cloth soaked with lemon juice, then rinse with water, or use store-bought CLR Calcium, Lime & Rust Remover.

Lighting
Run a long-handled duster over ceiling light fixtures every other week. For shades, use a damp or dry microfibre cloth every four to six months.

Oven and cooktop
Clean the inside of your oven monthly, depending on how much you use it. For self-cleaning ovens, follow the manufacturer's instructions; use a damp cloth to wipe out any leftover ash. For gas stoves, remove and wash cast-iron burners, and banish stubborn buildup by placing burners in resealable plastic bags with ammonia overnight; be sure to check manufacturer's instructions first. For glass cooktops, immediately clean spills with a specialized cleaner, like Cerama Bryte, otherwise the marks may become permanent. For electric coil-style stoves, clean up spills right away with a wrung-out cloth with soap and water. Twice a year, remove and clean the exhaust-fan filters; start by soaking them in a sink filled with soap and water, but get a degreaser, like Swish, at the hardware store if the grime is caked on.

Wood
Wax and polish on wooden furniture can build up over time. Stick to a damp cloth for daily cleanups instead.

Advanced class on floors:

Tile
For natural stone, use a pH-neutral cleaner like HG or SCI, or even mild dish soap and water. Avoid anything acidbased, like lemon, especially on such porous materials as marble. Steer clear of vinegar, all-purpose cleaner and products with bleach on any natural stone, as it can lead to corrosion. Scrub grout lines with a nylon brush and grout cleaner, checking to make sure it's safe for natural stone. Reseal every one to two years to repel stains and maintain sheen.

Hardwood & laminate

For a squeaky-clean finish and to prevent scratching, first sweep or vacuum to remove dirt and dust. Then, add a few capfuls of vinegar to a bucket of water. (If you're worried about using vinegar, check with the manufacturer.) Using a mop with a washable microfibre head, mop with the grain.

Carpeting

Blot spills immediately. Vacuum high-traffic rugs and carpets once a week. For antique rugs, avoid power heads and the beater-bar attachments that can damage fabrics made with wool or silk; instead, use a smooth no-bristle attachment to gently suction up dirt.

Household hacks from Shoana Jensen
The Cityline lifestyle expert shares her top tips for staying uber-organized.- Use a lint roller around the drum of lampshades and upholstered furniture to remove lint and dust.

- Clean the inside of your washing machine yearly by adding two cups of vinegar where you'd put clothes. Then, run the empty machine on the hottest setting.

- After showering, spray tiles with equal parts vinegar and water to eliminate mould, or wipe down tiles and glass with a squeegee.

- Once a month, tack on an extra chore that doesn't fall into your daily routine, like cleaning out the junk drawer or medicine cabinet.

Baking & Desserts

Our best muffin recipes

Whip up a dozen moist muffins on a leisurely Sunday morning. Or better yet, set out the muffin recipe ingredients the night before and let the first person up bake a batch for everyone. Most of these muffin recipes can be made in advance and frozen.

Choose the best-quality bread. Never serve end slices. Freezing bread before cutting and then spreading makes for easier handling.

Bread should be lightly buttered no matter what the filling. Butter should be at room temperature before spreading. Sandwiches will not become limp and soggy as readily if you spread butter right to edge of bread.

Culture & Entertainment

Hygge: The Art of "Finding Magic in the Ordinary"

Culture & Entertainment

Hygge: The Art of "Finding Magic in the Ordinary"

Think about some of your warmest memories—drinking wine and reminiscing with girlfriends, chatting with your mom while she whips up a batch of your favourite muffins, having a dinner date that leads to cocktails that leads to stargazing by the water because neither of you want the night to end—that’s hygge. It’s finding happiness in the every day, and all you need to be able to attain it is to know about it.

Some say the Danish word is pronounced “hooga” but according to Marie Tourell Søderberg, author of Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness, it’s like this: The “y” is similar to the French “y” sound—think “huge,” and the “gge” sounds like the first syllable in “girl.” But, it doesn’t really matter how you say "hygge"—you just need to get it. And to get it, you need to know where it comes from.

Hygge originates from a Norwegian word that means “well-being,” and in English, it means “coziness,” but it’s much more than that. Hygge is appreciating the little things in life. It’s “all the small things that make us feel safe, loved and satisfied,” says Søderberg. Hygge is doing things with warmth and joy, being present in the moment, and having a feeling of home—in other words, the Danish way of life.

Denmark is ranked as one of the happiest nations in the world, and hygge is likely an “ingredient in the Danish recipe for happiness,” says author Meik Wiking in his book, The Little Book of Hygge. Compared to other Europeans, Danes “meet most often with their friends and family and feel the calmest and most peaceful.” And that’s why there’s a growing interest in hygge.

Books on the subject are quickly filling up store shelves—a simple Indigo search will pull up more than five books on hygge, all of which have come out in the later half of 2016 (including Søderberg’s and Wiking’s) or will be coming out in the early months of 2017—just in time for winter, which is pretty much the reason why hygge exists.

In her book, Søderberg says, “It originated due to the need to create joy, warmth and togetherness in a country that boasts long, cold winters”—something Canadians can relate to. Hygge encourages you to embrace the cold months instead of waiting for the sun to shine again. But, anyone, anywhere, can enjoy the benefits of hygge any time of year, as it’s all about sharing moments with those you love, indulging in comfort foods, and taking in the sights and sounds around you.

Understanding hygge and having a name for it helps you recognize it and look for it in your day-to-day life. “Including it in our daily narratives and language makes us aware of the qualities of the word. Saying, ‘let’s hygge tonight,’ states a clear intention of what qualities we want our evening to have—presence, lovingness, relaxed, informal—all these qualities in one word,” says Søderberg.

Intimate candlelit dinner parties, mulled wine by a fire and ice skating under twinkling lights are classic hygge moments, but it can also be found when you're not expecting it. Hygge can happen in the least hyggelig (the adjective form of “hygge”) locations or in those in-between moments throughout your day—like when you're hiding from the rain under an awning with a friend, listening to a sax player as you wait for the next subway to arrive, or laughing with your sister over the phone.

Although hygge can happen anywhere, the most common place for it is at home, so it helps to make your living quarters feel warm, safe and welcoming—think candles, warm textiles and plenty of personal touches. In Søderberg’s book, she shares decorating advice from Nordic interior design expert Christina B. Kjeldsen: “The hygge comes when you feel that the person behind the surroundings is completely comfortable with his or her choices, but at the same time isn’t afraid of decorating intuitively and trying out new things and ideas…When you put thoughtfulness into how and why you have chosen to surround yourself with particular furniture, objects, art, flowers, knick-knacks, curtains—whatever—then you relax and your guests will see and know you for who you are.”

But, it’s important not to feel pressure to create a perfect space or occasion and force hygge. Decorate your space for you and not how you think it should be, and let moments unfold naturally—something that can be all too rare in this social media age. Søderberg warns, “The most hyggelig evening can look like a disaster in a picture, and opposite—the least hyggelig can look like a perfect evening.” But, if you have a true hyggling moment, it’ll be a “piece of art to capture the exact sense of an atmosphere in a photo.”

So, keep hygge on your mind. Make plans to hygge, be present in every moment, and soak up life's glories. And if you do, you’ll be gifted with the ability to, as Søderberg says, “[find] the magic in the ordinary.”